Int J Cur Res Rev | Vol 11 • Issue 12 • June 2019 16 Post Harvest Evaluation of Rice Hybrids for Grain and Cooking Qualities Anirban Nath 1* , Disharee Nath 1 , Chand Kumar Santra 2 , Tapash Dasgupta 3 1 Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Science, University of Calcutta. 51/2, Hazra Road, Kolkata -700019; 2 Rice Research Station, Govt. of West Bengal, Chinsurah- 712 102; 3 School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Narendrapur, Kolkata 700103. ABSTRACT Background: For commercial exploitation of rice hybrids, superior grain and cooking qualities are prerequisites. The current study evaluates thirty eight rice hybrids in terms of important grain and cooking quality parameters. Materials and Methods: Performances associated with grain quality parameters like Hulling%, Milling%, Head rice recovery%, Kernel length, Kernel Breadth and L/B ratio were recorded. In case of cooking qualities, characters like Amylose content, Gel consistency, Alkali spreading value, Gelatinization temperature, Elongation ratio and water uptake were estimated. The data obtained from the quality performances were also compared with consumer preferences reported by earlier authors. Results and Discussions: As per earlier reports, rice millers prefer 80 % Hulling, 70% milling and 65% head rice recovery. From the consumer’s perspective long slender kernel, intermediate amylose, soft gel and intermediate gelatinization temperature are prerequisites. In the current investigation the hybrids like ADTRH1, GK5003 and Suruchi exhibited superior performances for all the grain qualities but lacked in one or more cooking quality parameters. On the contrary, hybrids like IR58025A x IR10198R, IR79156A x IR40750R, Sahyadri4, PSD 3 and PusaRH-10 exhibited superior cooking quality traits but lacked in one or more grain quality parameters. The hybrid IR80559A x IR6876-1 was the best performer fulfilling the criteria for most of the grain and cooking quality traits. A Correlation coefficient analysis was performed and significant correlations among the quality traits were elucidated. The analysis revealed that hulling (%) and head rice recovery (%) were significantly correlated with milling (%). Simi- larly Amylose content was negatively correlated with gel consistency. Conclusions: The hybrids showing superior grain and cooking qualities can be recommended for commercial production. The vital correlations can be used as tools for selection in terms of grain and cooking qualities. Key Words: Hybrid rice, Hulling, Milling, Head rice recovery, Amylose content, Gel consistency, Gelatinization temperature, Correlation coefficient analysis Corresponding Author: Anirban Nath, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Science, University of Calcutta. 51/2, Hazra Road, Kolkata -700019; Email: anirbannathkol@gmail.com ISSN: 2231-2196 (Print) ISSN: 0975-5241 (Online) Received: 18.05.2019 Revised: 05.06.2019 Accepted: 16.06.2019 INTRODUCTION The high grain yield attributed by hybrid vigour will only be worthwhile if ultimately the rice obtained is of high quality in terms of grain and cooking properties. In the absence of adequate grain and cooking quality associated with the grain obtained, the hybrid rice finally produced from a breeding program will be commercially inefficacious. Compared to other cereals, grain quality of rice is of crucial importance and determines the market price since rice is consumed as a whole grain. Also, the preferences in terms of cooking quality vary from region to region. In general, few desirable quality parameters like high milling %, head rice recovery %, grain shape, appearance, cooking qualities, palatability, etc are emphasized across rice growing regions. In most countries including India ‘long grain’ type of rice which is soft and non-sticky upon cooking are preferred over ‘short grained’ Japonica types which are sticky on cooking resulting from a low amylose content. In case of hybrid rice, achieving supe- rior grain and cooking quality is challenging. Firstly the con- sumed grains belong to F 2 generation. Secondly the sterile cytoplasm has significant influence on the quality traits asso- ciated with the grain as reported by Shivani et al. (2007), Yi and Cheng (1992), Virmani et al. (2003). The current study Research Article International Journal of Current Research and Review DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31782/IJCRR.2019.11124 IJCRR Section: Life Sciences Sci. Journal Impact Factor: 5.385 (2017) ICV: 71.54 (2015)